FOMO, or the fear of missing out, has emerged as one of the most frequently used terms in contemporary discourse. It encapsulates the anxiety associated with the possibility of missing significant and engaging experiences. However, a recent publication in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that this phenomenon extends beyond mere enjoyment.

The research indicates that the fear of missing out is fundamentally linked to the apprehension of losing opportunities to connect with individuals who matter to us. This anxiety arises from a deep-seated need to be present in our relationships and social contexts, coupled with concerns about the potential impact of our absence on these connections.

Key findings of the study:

The investigation involved 5,441 participants recruited from online platforms such as Amazon Mechanical Turk and Prolific. To uncover the underlying causes and triggers of FOMO, participants were exposed to a variety of scenarios. The methodology included hypothetical situations, actual social media browsing tasks, and experimental alterations of event characteristics.

The results demonstrated that participants experienced the highest levels of FOMO when they were unable to attend gatherings involving close friends and family. Their feelings of FOMO intensified particularly in contexts that fostered social bonding.

What triggers FOMO?

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is not solely instigated by the anxiety of missing enjoyable experiences; it is also influenced by the desire to forge connections and share meaningful moments with others.

Jacqueline R. Rifkin, an assistant professor of marketing at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University and the author of the study, expressed her surprise to PsyPost regarding the extent of FOMO experienced in relation to events that may not be pleasurable, such as funerals, providing support to a grieving friend, or participating in a chaotic initiation ceremony. She emphasized that this observation underscores the notion that FOMO transcends mere enjoyment; it fundamentally revolves around the intangible bonds that individuals create through shared experiences, which can encompass both joyful and sorrowful occasions.

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